170. Shoulder Pain Isn’t Always Musculoskeletal: Red Flags, Referral Clues, and Quick Screening Questions

Send us Fan MailIn this PT Snacks episode, we walk through how to tell when “shoulder pain” might not actually be coming from the shoulder—and why that matters for safe, intentional screening in the clinic. We compare classic musculoskeletal patterns (pain tied to motion/loading and reproducible on exam) versus non-mechanical presentations like constant, poorly localized, deep/pressure-like pain that doesn’t change with movement and may come with systemic or autonomic symptoms. Also covered are common non-musculoskeletal sources that can refer to the shoulder—pulmonary/thoracic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal/hepatic, and malignancy/systemic disease—plus practical questions and quick vitals-based triage you can blend into a normal eval. 00:00 Welcome to PT Snacks00:15 Why Non MSK Matters01:52 MSK vs Non MSK Clues03:56 Pulmonary Referral Patterns04:54 Cardiac Red Flags05:51 GI and Hepatic Sources06:34 Cancer and Systemic Causes07:27 Triage Questions and Screen09:12 When to Refer Urgently10:32 Wrap Up and ResourcesSupport the showStudying for the NPTE? Check out PT Final Exam — they’ve helped thousands of students pass with confidence. Use code PTSnacks at checkout for a discount.Stay Connected!Follow so you never miss an episode. Send your questions via email to [email protected] the email list HERESupport the Show:Share the episode with someone who'd benefit.Contributing directly to the "support" link.Thanks for tuning in—your support makes this all possible!